Key Facts
- Conflict
- Georgian Civil War
- Landing date
- Late October 1993
- Fighting end date
- 6 November 1993
- Russian casualties claimed
- None (per Maj. Gen. Djukov)
- Key objective
- Poti–Tbilisi railway protection
Strategic Narrative Overview
In late October 1993, Russian Marines of the Black Sea Fleet landed at Poti to protect the vital railway corridor. In November, armed clashes broke out between the Russian Marines and Zviadist rebels operating in the region. Russian Major General Boris Djukov reported no Russian casualties from the engagements. The fighting was relatively brief, as Georgian Armed Forces simultaneously pressed the rebels on multiple fronts.
01 / The Origins
Following the ousting of Georgian president Zviad Gamsakhurdia, his supporters — known as Zviadists — mounted an armed insurgency against the government of Eduard Shevardnadze. The Georgian Civil War drew in Russian forces, who backed Shevardnadze's administration. The port city of Poti became a flashpoint due to its strategic railway linking it to the Georgian capital Tbilisi, prompting Russian military intervention to safeguard this critical infrastructure.
03 / The Outcome
The battle effectively ended on 6 November 1993 when Georgian Armed Forces breached Zviadist defenses and entered Zugdidi, the rebels' capital. This military breakthrough collapsed organized Zviadist resistance in western Georgia. The Russian intervention at Poti had helped deny rebels control of a strategically important logistics route, contributing to the government's ability to suppress the insurgency.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
2 belligerents
Boris Djukov, Eduard Shevardnadze.
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.